23. Chester, Pennsylvania
Chester, the oldest city in Pennsylvania located along the Delaware River was once a thriving ship-building and car manufacturing hub, especially during the 2nd World War. Workers poured into the city to fill jobs at the Sun Shipyard, which was at that time the largest single shipyard in the world.
Unfortunately, the downturn of the ship building and automotive manufacturing business towards the 2nd half of the 20th century caused many to lose their jobs, increasing the rate of poverty and crime in the area.
Today, the crime rate in Chester remains high, with figures 79% higher than that of the US average.
